Of strange Doctors and new turns
by Terrini
Summary: Persuasion/Doctor Who Crossover. During the walk to Winthrop Anne meets a strange man who calls himself the Doctor. Is he a lunatic? Or he is someone who can change Anne's life forever?
1. Prologue

Prologue.

_The brow of the hill, where they remained, was a cheerful spot: Louisa returned; and Mary, finding a comfortable seat for herself on the step of a stile, was very well satisfied so long as the others all stood about her; but when Louisa drew Captain Wentworth away, to try for a gleaning of nuts in an adjoining hedge-row, and they were gone by degrees quite out of sight and sound, Mary was happy no longer; she quarrelled with her own seat, was sure Louisa had got a much better somewhere, and nothing could prevent her from going to look for a better also. She turned through the same gate, but could not see them. Anne found a nice seat for her, on a dry sunny bank, under the hedge-row, in which she had no doubt of their still being, in some spot or other. Mary sat down for a moment, but it would not do; she was sure Louisa had found a better seat somewhere else, and she would go on till she overtook her. _

_Anne, really tired herself, was glad to sit down…_

Jane Austen. Persuasion. Chapter 10.

… and a few minutes later was startled to see beside her a man who seemed to appear from nowhere. And a very strange man indeed! Anne could not help but notice that he was dressed in eccentric if not odd clothes – brown pinstripe trousers, something like a coat but definitely not a usual men's coat and a long beige greatcoat. He didn't look like a gentleman, at least a proper gentleman, but then again he didn't look like _anyone at all_, and suddenly Anne wished she had gone to the Hayters with Charles and Henrietta. And Captain Wentworth, Louisa and Mary were still out of sight and sound…

"Oh, hello", cheerfully said a stranger and smiled broadly. "A nice weather, isn't it?"

Anne quickly rose to her feet.

"Indeed", answered Anne curtly and before she could say something else, a stranger exclaimed,

"By the way, I forgot to introduce myself - which is very rude of me I suppose, but that's who I'm, rude and not ginger – I'm the Doctor"

"Nice to meet you doctor..." Ann trailed off expecting him to say his name, but he only shook his head.

"Doctor, just the Doctor. And you?"

"Ann Elliot of Kellynch-Hall", Ann had no particular wish to get acquainted with a man whom she considered really strange and lacking sense of propriety and good manners, but she didn't want to seem uncourteous.

"Nice to meet you, Anne Elliot of Kellynch-Hall", cried the Doctor enthusiastically. "So, are you local, miss Elliot? You're miss, aren't you? Or are you just showing a good taste refusing to wear these horrible caps which most married women of your time are wearing?" Anne, who took off her bonnet earlier to expose her face to the last warm sunbeams in this year, now regretted it and blushed. "Anyway, never mind. 'Cause if you're local I need your help. Will you help me?"

While the Doctor was talking – very fast and with a slight accent – he was fidgeting and shifting from one foot to another, as if it was beyond him to stand still.

"Yes, if it's in my power, sir", answered Anne almost automatically, because it was exactly what she had been doing for a long, very long time – helping people when she was asked for it, and on her own accord too, for Anne Elliot was a very kind-hearted girl though a bit weak-willed. But now she mentally chided herself for such a rush answer, because at the moment she didn't feel like helping some strange doctor who definitely looked nothing like an ordinary respected doctor.

"OK, great! Now, tell me Miss Anne Elliot of Kellynch-Hall, haven't you seen or heard of anything strange lately? Things that shouldn't be where they are now or, on the contrary, something missing? Unusual events? Odd people? Or not people - creatures, maybe? Lights in the forest in the middle of the night? Weird moving shadows? Violent deaths? People who disappeared without any trace? Something, there must be something!

The Doctor seemed to be overly excited, and Anne felt uneasy under the scrutinizing look of his dark-brown eyes. She did her best _not _to tell him, that the only strange thing she had seen recently was _he, _and shook her head.

"No, sir, I'm afraid I cannot help you – I have never witnessed or heard of anything like that".

The Doctor was clearly disappointed to hear that, and suddenly Anne realized who this doctor must be – a madman, a lunatic! Her discomposure turned partially into fear, partially into compassion for the poor man (for Anne was really, really a very kind girl).

"Are you absolutely, totally, completely sure?" asked he hopefully.

"Yes, sir, I'm positive. But perhaps you should ask someone else, someone who may help you… with everything", suggested Anne.

The Doctor furrowed and began to mutter under his breath:

"No, no, no, this can't be. Can't! Think, think, think, it must have given itself away somehow. But how exactly, that's the question? S'pose… Nah, that's impossible. And what if…"

"I beg your pardon, sir, but are you all right?" asked Anne tentatively, not knowing how she should act around him, but willing to help this lost soul.

"What?" this time the Doctor was startled upon hearing her voice as if he had already forgotten about her presence. "Oh, you, of course. Listen, miss Elliot, if you remember or find out something, please, let me know. Will you? Good! I count on you".

With these words he turned and disappeared in the forest so quickly that Anne didn't have a chance to ask him where he was residing and how she can find him. Not that she was intending to this, but still… Half a minute later Captain Wentworth and Louisa came out of the hedgerow and saw pale and somewhat confused Anne staring blankly at the trees.

"My, Anne, what's wrong? Are you unwell? You're so pale!" cried Louisa.

"Oh, that's nothing, I'm fine, don't worry. That's just… this man…"

"Man? What man?" asked Captain Wentworth in an uncommonly harsh and concerned voice, though neither Anne, nor Louisa noticed it.

Anne thought that she shouldn't have mentioned the Doctor, for it drew Captain Wentworth's attention to her and Anne immediately got embarrassed. What would he think of her!

"There was a man", tried to explain Anne, "a rather strange man. A gentleman who lost his way and asked me for help".

Though Anne hated to lie, especially in such a blatant way, she didn't want to frighten Louisa by telling her of a madman walking somewhere near. On the other hand, Louisa could consider it – as Anne suspected – exciting, and then she would tell Henrietta and Mary about the Doctor, and Ann's sister would be scared to death and drive them all mad with her hysterics. No, Anne should not confess that this doctor seemed to be a lunatic. At least not now. But maybe she would have a talk with Charles later.

Capital Wentworth, however, didn't quite believe Anne, for she looked far too nervous for a lady who met simply a lost stranger.

"Miss Elliot", said Captain hesitantly, "did this man say or did something… untoward, improper?"

Anne was a bit surprised to hear a genuine concern in his voice instead of cold, but polite indifference that he had been showing since they had become reacquainted.

"No, nothing of the kind. He was just a bit odd. Eccentric even. But not improper or dangerous. Let us no longer waste our time thinking of him – I'm sure he's not worth it", said Anne hurriedly as she heard the approaching voices: Mary's (she was scolding Charles for going to the Hayters and leaving her alone) and Charles's (he was trying to reason his wife).

And since Anne didn't want Louisa or Captain mention the Doctor in front of her sister, as soon as Mary and Charles joined them, she asked her brother-in-law about his visit to Winthrop, even though she already realized that it had gone well, for she saw Henrietta and Charles Hayter who were slowly walking at some distance behind Mary and her husband and were completely devoted to each other. Louisa didn't even try to hide her wide grin, she was happy for Henrietta and satisfied with herself – had she not persuaded her sister to go with their brother, who knows how long Henrietta's and Charles's misunderstanding would have lasted!

Louisa looked at Captain Wentworth with bright eyes, as if saying: "See? My firmness and powers of mind, which you admire, stand Henrietta and Charles Hayter in good stead!" But Captain was oblivious to her meaningful look because his attention was dawn to Anne. He could not forgive her, but he could not be unfeeling. Though condemning her for the past, and considering it with high and unjust resentment, though perfectly careless of her (as he tried to convince himself), still he could not bear the thought of her being hurt. The mere idea that some rascal, prowling about, dared to approach Anne and scare her, that he could do her harm, was repulsive. Captain Wentworth wished he was able to question Anne more closely about the man who frightened her, but he understood that their past made it impossible. Frederick felt guilty, for in the absence of Charles Musgrove it was his duty to take care of Anne, Louisa and Mary and protect them from any harm. Of course, Somersetshire was a quiet place and the worst crimes, which disturbed its peaceful life, were chicken thefts, but it was not an excuse. His anger, his disappointment, his contempt led to an unforgivable behaviour that endangered Anne. He wished he could make up for it. She was still very pale and obviously tired and distressed (though she carefully tried not to show it) when they all headed back to Uppercross, and Musgrove, who was determined to punish his wife for being disobliging to him, dropped the arms of both Mary and Anne to hunt after a weasel which he had a momentary glance of. Frederick would have offered Anne his arm of support had he not known for sure that it would only make her more upset than she was now.

Everything now marked out Louisa for Captain Wentworth; nothing could be plainer, but surprisingly enough Anne wasn't as hurt as it could be expected, taking into account the circumstances. Mostly because Anne was lost in thoughts about the mysterious stranger she had met earlier. True, he was weird and most likely mad, but she pitied him not only for his delusional mind but also for the sadness she saw in his eyes. Great, great sadness.

Wrapped in thoughts, Anne didn't notice quick glances that Captain cast at her now and then. Weary from the long walk, she was lagging behind a little and Frederick was going to suggest that should lean on his arm when they heard the approaching carriage which turned out to be Admiral and Mrs. Croft's gig. And Captain's sister and her husband were amused and a bit confused to see that Frederick was exceedingly happy to meet them. Of course, they didn't know that they gave Frederick a perfect opportunity to help Anne. And Admiral and Sophy made it very easy for him. They offered a seat to any lady who might be particularly tired, and Captain Wentworth, fearing that Mary could claim the seat, said hurriedly,

"I think Miss Elliot is exhausted and would like to be taken home. I'm afraid she is too fatigued to finish the walk to the Cottage".

Anne wanted to decline this offer, but since Captain Wentworth was completely right and Admiral and Mrs. Croft so heartily insisted that she should come with them, Anne agreed. Captain Wentworth turned to her, and quietly obliged her to be assisted into the carriage. Anne was taken aback by this display of concern, which (as she thought) was a remainder of former sentiment, an impulse of pure, though unacknowledged friendship, a proof of his own warm and amiable heart. But Anne was too worn out to contemplate it.

They had travelled half their way along the rough lane, when Admiral and his wife began to talk about Frederick. Or, to be precise, about his future wife. Admiral Croft hoped that his brother-in-law would marry soon, for both Musgrove ladies were very nice and there would always be company for Admiral and Mrs. Croft at Kellynch. It pained Anne to hear that, but she was well aware, that Captain Wentworth's marriage was just a matter of time now and she wished him and Louisa and wished them every happiness.

* * *

Anne spent the rest of the day at Uppercross tending to Mary who claimed to be dying from exhaustion, so in the evening Anne could think of nothing else but sleep. But when Anne entered her room, ready to go to bed, she was astonished to see there a young dog, the one who had spoilt Musgrove's and Wentworth's morning shooting. The English setter was sleeping by the fire, but as soon as he heard Anne, he awoke, jumped on her and almost knock her down.

"Oh, what are you doing here?" cried Anne. "You should be in the kennel! How did you get in unnoticed? Never mind, you shouldn't be here. Go back to the kennel, be a good boy. Do you hear me? Go to the kennel".

But the dog was wagging his tail and apparently had no desire to leave Anne's room.

"All right", sighed Anne, kneeling in front of the dog and patting him, "you can stay here, but in the morning I will take you to kennel myself. Do you understand?"

The dog must have understood because he licked Anne's face and his tail began to wag twice faster.

"All right, now behave and be quite".

The dog licked Anne's face for the last time and resumed his place by the fire.

"Good night, boy", said Anne and fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

7


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks everyone for reviews^) Unfortunately, I don't have a beta, so all mistakes are mine and I apologise for them.**

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**Chapter 1.**

Loneliness – that's what the Doctor always feared and welcomed at the same time. Even when his people were still alive, when he could feel their presence in his mind, when he could visit his homeworld Gallifrey any time he wanted, the Doctor was lonely. And loner. For none of his kind, even those who were close to him never understood him and fully accepted him as he was. Mostly because of his parentage: no Gallifreyan expected anything good of a Time Lord with human genes. Some Time Lords didn't take him seriously, some – laughed at him, some – despised him, very few respected him and even fewer – liked. And nothing could change that: neither his brilliant mind, nor his involvement in politics – a result of his attempt to be useful for his people and pretend that he is just like them, reasonable and boring. Yes, the Doctor was offered Presidency of the High Council of Time Lords, but they did it only because it so happened that he was best fit for this position. And that didn't make them respect or like the Doctor more than before.

But the Doctor couldn't tolerate being alone, he needed someone to impress and laugh with, to hold hands and save the universe with. And his companions, who usually belonged to "inferior races", as Time Lords called them, were perfect for this. They liked the Doctor and trusted him, understood him, taught him, almighty Time Lord, something new, and saved his life. Each of them was bright, unique, fantastic, and the Doctor loved them all, but they were also fragile, they withered and died. They always left, because they should, or found someone else, or got bored, and they broke Doctor's heart, each and every of them. But at most times it was only fair, because the Doctor broke their heats too, in many different ways.

The Doctor feared loneliness, but he knew very well, that no matter how hard he tried to keep his companions at his side, in the end he would lose them, as he lost Susan, and Jamie McCrimmon, and Victoria Waterfield, and Adric, and Tegan, and Ace, and so many others, including Donna and Rose. It hurt. To remember them, especially Donna and Rose, hurt so much that the Doctor did his best not to think of any of them. Out of sight, out of mind. The Doctor was a strong man, stronger than he thought, but each his loss could become the last straw which would break him, finish him off, do what neither Daleks, no Davros succeeded in. The TARDIS didn't appreciate his mood and intention to stay alone for a while, but there was nothing she could do to dissuade him. And thus she was only humming disapprovingly when the Doctor ran into another adventure without anyone to cover him or help him. But that was one of those times when the Doctor completely ignored his ship's feelings.

* * *

Anne woke up very early, when the sun had barely risen and the household was still quiet. No one at Uppercross was ever astir at that hour, and even Anne, who was an early bird, usually woke up a bit later. But now she felt surprisingly rested, though yesterday she had had an exhausting day and all her muscles ached. Anne got up and discovered that her four legged roommate had already left, and that was probably for the best. She put on a dressing gown, came to the window and drew aside the curtain. Anne stood looking at the grey sky for a couple of minutes, then she lowered her eyes and gasped in shock when she saw a dark figure standing right under her window. At first she thought that it was Captain Wentworth, but she soon realized that it was not him. Or Charles. Or any of the servants. But there was something familiar in this man and when he lifted his arm, Anne suddenly recognized him – it was the stranger she had met yesterday. The Doctor.

Anne always considered herself to be a rational and sensible person, but now she began to doubt it because she did something that contradicted logic and common sense – she went downstairs as quick and quietly as she could and left the house through the front door. Only when she turned around the corner, it occurred to her that she, perhaps, should have stayed in her room or, at least, called Charles. But what's done is done, it was too late to go back because the Doctor saw her.

"You are Anne Elliot, right?" asked he, approaching Anne. "And this is Kellynch-Hall?" the Doctor pointed to Uppercross.

"Good morning, sir" under no circumstances could Anne forget her good manners. "Indeed, sir, I am Anne Elliot, but this is Uppercross, my sister's home, not Kellynch-Hall. Sir, may I ask, what business brought you here so early in the morning?"

"Well, the same as yesterday. Wait a second…" the Doctor took out of his pocket some thing which Anne couldn't discern in the dim dawn light and brought it to her face. Anne shrank back from the bright blue light which suddenly flashed on the end of this thing, whatever it was.

"No, no, no, don't be afraid, it won't hurt you, I promise. It's just a sonic screwdriver, nothing dangerous. Look!"

The Doctor demonstrated Anne what he called a "screwdriver", it was a round, approximately 5 inches long stick, and Anne was highly intrigued by the blue light on its end. It was definitely nothing like a light of candle, and Anne should be frightened for this light could possibly be a result of a witchcraft, but something was telling her that it was not the case.

"What is a «sonic screwdriver»" asked she, tentatively touching the blue light. It was cold and smooth like glass, and Anne concluded that this light was contained into a glass bubble. Perhaps, it was some giant glowworm…

"Oh, it's a wonderful thing!" cried the Doctor. "Very helpful, saved my life a couple of times. And it does a lot of stuff. For example, it can provide me with tons of information".

With these words the Doctor once again raised his hand to Anne's face and the blue light twinkled a few times and bleeped.

"Hmmm, interesting," murmured the Doctor and lowered his hand a bit.

Now he looked liked a madman even more that yesterday, but toady Anne was much less frightened, mainly because she was sure that he wouldn't hurt her.

"What exactly is interesting, sir?" asked Anne curiously and added, in attempt to find out something about him, "Maybe you would like to share it with your family or friends you're staying with?"

"Nope. I'm all alone. I don't do domestic and don't do families either, mind you. And you, Anne Elliot of Kellynch-Hall, seems to be very friendly. Well, not jeopardy friendly like someone I knew, but still friendly enough to have unusual friends. Right?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about", answered Anne, confused, though it was expected of a lunatic to talk nonsense. She felt sorry for him and really wished she could help him. "Sir, if you only tell me…"

"What's going on here?!" Anne was interrupted by a male voice coming from behind, and when a startled girl turned around, she saw none other but Captain Wentworth.

* * *

Captain Wentworth had slept badly that night. In fact, he hadn't slept at all – his thoughts, painful and uncomfortable, had kept him awake. And these thought were, of course, of Miss Anne Elliot. She had used him ill, deserted and disappointed him; and worse, she had shown a feebleness of character in doing so, which his own decided, confident temper could not endure. She had given him up to oblige others. It had been the effect of over-persuasion. It had been weakness and timidity. And thus he couldn't forgive her. At least, that was what he used believe in, but now he was not so sure. For eight long years he had been trying to forget Anne, banish every thought of her, and he almost succeeded, for he was absorbed in his duties and war, and they left little time for idle contemplations. But when the war ended, some Frederick's sailor fellows reunited with their wives and fiancées, some came ashore resolute to find an eligible girl and marry her as soon as it was possible, and Captain Wentworth could not help thinking that had not Anne rejected him, he might be a happy husband and father as well; and instead of staying with his sister, he might have his own home with Anne as its mistress. Those thoughts pained him and he decided that the best cure of a past love is a new love, and that he, in sympathy with his fellows, should find himself a wife. The news that Sophy and Admiral Croft had rented Kellynch-Hall was shocking, but Captain Wentworth recovered from it sooner than he expected, for he had imagined himself indifferent to her. And he did his best to act upon his plan, he tried to fall in love with Louisa Musgrove, he tried not to notice Anne, but yesterday's incident made everything extraordinary clear: he was just fooling himself, he never stopped loving Anne and never would. She was the sweetest, the kindest, the most sensible girl he had ever met. And to see her hurt and frightened, to know that some villain could do her harm, broke his heart. She was always a weak little thing and had no one to protect her from harsh realities of this world. Anne was innocent and ignorant to what a disgraceful scoundrel could to do a lady.

But the fact that he acknowledged his never-fading love to Anne didn't mean that he forgave her or forgot her betrayal. How could he possibly confess to her and conceal that his resentment and bitterness had not yet faded away? Besides, since they had reacquainted, he was harsh and cold, and barely spoke to her, so could it be that his behaviour turned Anne away forever? Could he lacerate Louisa's heart, betray her like Anne betrayed him? True, Frederick wasn't officially engaged to Louisa, but he suddenly understood, that she and her family wanted from him more than he was ready to give and they were sure that there was an understanding between him and Louisa. Of course, Captain Wentworth, being an honourable man, would propose to Louisa if the Musgroves let him know that they expect him to do that, and he would do his best to be a good husband, but never would he forget that his own foolishness made him miserable and took away the only chance to be really happy.

Unable to fall asleep, Captain Wentworth spent all night tossing and turning in bed, at dawn he got up, dressed, went out and headed for Uppercross. Yesterday, when his morning shooting with Charles Musgrove had failed, they had decided to try again next morning, and now it gave Frederick a valid excuse to left Kellynch-Hall at this ungodly hour. Fresh air did him good and cleared his head, though didn't help him to understand what Frederick should do with his life. Only when Captain Wentworth approached Uppercross, it came to his mind that it was still very early, and Charles Musgrove, probably, had not yet woken. So Captain Wentworth decided to take a stroll in the garden, and as he turned around the corner he heard voices, male and female, but from his spot he couldn't see anyone. At first he thought that he witnessed some sort of assignation, an encounter of Uppercross servants, but then he listened and to his astonishment recognized Anne's voice. No, it's impossible! Frederick rushed forward and indeed saw Anne Elliot and a man he didn't know.

"What's going on here?!" cried shocked Captain Wentworth.

5


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry for not updating for so long: I was ill and then very busy. But I'll do my best not to do that again^)) And as usual: no beta, so all mistakes are mine, and I'm ashamed of them^(**

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**Chapter 2.**

"What is going on here?" cried Captain Wentworth.

Actually, he had no right to demand an answer, but it didn't even occur to him, for he _needed _to know what was going on, why Anne was outside so early in the morning and who was the man she was talking to. The only idea, which would naturally come to anyone at the sight of man and a woman (who, by the way, was barely dressed) secretly meeting at dawn, seemed ridiculous to Captain Wentworth. No, that couldn't be! Anne couldn't, simply couldn't have an affair with this man, who was looking at Captain slightly quizzically and with curiosity. But the way Anne was dressed conveyed the suggestion that she had spent the night with a lover and now was seeing him off. The fact that this supposed lover was dressed quite eccentric Captain Wentworth dismissed as irrelevant.

"Oi, do you know that it's rude to interrupt someone's conversation?" asked the stranger before Anne could explain herself to Captain Wentworth.

"I do not recall we were introduced to each other" said Frederick dryly.

"Captain Wentworth, let me introduce you to the Doctor. Doctor, this is Captain Wentworth... a friend of the family", nervously said Anne, who felt as if she was in some weird dream. Or, rather, nightmare, because to be seen at that hour in a company of a man without a chaperone, was terrible. To be seen by Captain Wentworth was twice terrible.

"Doctor?" Captain Wentworth eyed suspiciously the man who looked nothing like a doctor. "Doctor who?"

"Just the Doctor", said _the Doctor_ grumpily and murmured low, but distinct: "Another captain... as if Jack wasn't enough!"

"Just the Doctor? Sir, I insist that you tell me your name!"

"That's my name. The Doctor is my name and if you only knew how many times in my life I said that you would not believe me. Anyway, why do you need my name so badly? It's so human…"

'To call you out' was the only reply Captain Wentworth wanted to give, but he couldn't say it, first of all, because it wasn't his duty to do that (though he highly doubted that either Sit Walter or Charles would try to protect Anne's honour), and also because he hadn't yet figured out what was going on here. Could he be wrong? Could he jump to conclusions? Yes, Anne had changed since their last meeting almost eight years ago, but Frederick was sure that these changes hadn't touched her soul, that Anne was still the kindest, the sweetest and the most innocent girl in the world, who could do nothing wrong, nothing improper or indecent. But now Captain Wentworth didn't know anymore, and the nameless stranger wasn't helping to understand the situation.

"Ahem", Anne cleared her throat. She decided that it was high time to break in the Doctor and Captain's dialogue. Anne was ashamed, for she was well aware, that her behaviour was not only foolish, but also disgraceful, and her reputation was ruined forever. And it pained her that now in Captain Wentworth's eyes she was not only a weak-willed, but also fallen woman. But her own misery can wait, because at the moment she had to help someone, who was more desolate than Anne, but, poor man, didn't even realize it. And though Anne doubted that Captain Wentworth would be willing to assist the Doctor, she still wanted to try to persuade him. "Captain Wentworth, the Doctor… has lost something and while searching it, I assume, he got lost himself. I believe we…"

"What?!" quickly interrupted her the indignant Doctor, who seemed to be insulted by her worlds. "I'm not lost. I cannot be lost, ever. I'm a Time Lord, and Time Lords simply don't get lost. And if we still get lost, it's not our fault, but TARDIS's. Anyway, since I'm not lost and haven't yet found what I'm looking for, I'm leaving. I would say that it wasn't very pleasant to meet you, Captain Wentworth, but even I'm _not that_ rude. So, it was a pleasure to meet you, Captain. As for you, miss Anne Elliot of Kellynch-Hall, next time you see your_ interesting_ little friend, tell him that he is in danger and that I'm here to help him. And be careful. Remember what I said about unusual events, odd people and violent deaths? Stay away from them. No, seriously, be careful – never know what's waiting for you around the corner".

The Doctor looked gravely at Anne and critically at Captain Wentworth, turned and left, disappearing in the garden, which surrounded Uppercross. And it certainly was not something that Captain Wentworth expected, for he was planning to have a long and hardly _pleasant_ talk with the Doctor, whose hasty departure… no, disgraceful escape proved him to be even worse rascal than Frederick thought, because to ruin an innocent girl was bad enough, but to leave her in these particular circumstances, alone with a man, was simply disgusting. Captain Wentworth didn't understand what Anne could see in this man (who actually had no right to be called a man, a wimp – that's what he was), and suddenly it stroke him that, perhaps, her tryst with the Doctor was not voluntary. What if he had forced her to meet him? What if he had threatened, intimidated her? The blood froze in Frederick's veins. If so, he would kill the nameless Doctor, plain and simple. But first of all, he had to find out what was really going on between her and the Doctor and who this Doctor was. Though he wasn't sure that Anne would tell him anything - it was a very delicate issue to discuss with a male, especially with him, of all people, because his recent behaviour made impossible any confidence between them. It was extremely unlikely that Anne would confide in Captain Wentworth, but Frederick also suspected that she wouldn't talk about it with Charles Musgrove or her father, but for different reasons. Anne never liked to burden anyone with her problems or sorrows and she had no one, but Lady Russell to bare her soul to and seek help and advice. But before Captain Wentworth could say how truly sorry he was, Anne noticed his gun and her eyes, huge and scared as it is, grew even larger and more terrified.

"Captain Wentworth", cried she, "you are here to meet Charles and go shooting with him, aren't you?"

It was a strange question, because the answer was obvious and insignificant in present circumstances, but Frederick saw that Anne was too agitated and shocked to think clearly.

"Yes, indeed, but for now I think we should talk about more important things like…"

"I have to go!" blurted out Anne. "Please, Captain Wentworth, I know that you must think horribly of me, and I suppose I partially deserved it, but believe me, it's not what you think!"

Anne looked at Captain Wentworth with pleading eyes, silently begging him to believe her. And Frederick felt that he couldn't _not_ _believe_ her.

"Then why don't you explain me everything" said Captain Wentworth gently and took her hand – a gesture that surprised them both. He hadn't done it since the days of their engagement and in the first year after it was broken Frederick had often remembered the feel of her soft warm skin and long delicate fingers interlaced with his. Eight years ago she had used to blush from head to toe any time she had allowed him to touch her bare hand, and that's why now it was very difficult to believe that she was capable of improper or lewd behaviour.

"Not now, I can't, I have to return to my room. Don't you understand, that Charles may come here any minute? Please, if he saw us together…"

Captain Wentworth briefly considered, what would happen if Charles saw them. If he would come to the same conclusion as Frederick, Anne's reputation and life would be destroyed. There was a distant possibility that Musgrove, a rather slow-witted fellow, would assume that Anne and Captain Wentworth's meeting was nothing more than just a pure coincidence and would forget about it, the second he and Frederick went shooting, but Captain Wentworth couldn't count on it. Frederick suspected that Musgrove wouldn't demand satisfaction, but would insist that Captain Wentworth must marry Anne. And Frederick was astonished to acknowledge that this idea was equally revolting and enticing. The thought of a forced marriage was always unbearable to him, but if it was Anne who would become his wife, he could put up with this twist of fate. Louisa Musgrove, whom Frederick, in his feverish speculations, prematurely considered himself tied up to, was instantly forgotten.

"Oh, yes of course," mumbled Captain Wentworth. "But Miss Anne, I'd like…"

"Later, we'll talk later, if you wish," whispered Anne, looking back at the house.

Then she squeezed Frederick's hand, turned about and practically run towards Uppercross. A few minuets after she disappeared around the corner, Captain Wentworth followed her and almost run into Charles Musgrove.

"Captain, you're already here!" cried Charles. "That's capital! Let's go, we shall not waste our time! I hope today we'll do better than tomorrow. Don't know what to do with that dog, it's absolutely untrained, I'm afraid it'll make no good. Maybe I should…"

Charles kept on ranting, but Captain Wentworth, engrossed in his thoughts, didn't listen to him.

* * *

Anne had spent the whole morning in her room, pleading a headache. Mary, who preferred to be taken care of by Anne and not otherwise, visited her sister only once, before breakfast, and let her alone, much to Anne's satisfaction. (Mary didn't fail to tell Henrietta and Louisa that it was their walk to Winthrope that had caused Anne's illness.)

Anne's feelings and thoughts were in turmoil. Her foolishness, curiosity, compassion led to this impossible, unimaginable situation she found herself in, and she didn't know what to do about in. Captain Wentworth was an honourable man, and Anne was sure that he wouldn't tell a soul about what he had witnessed, but Anne understood that his opinion of her, which was quite low after she had broken their engagement, sank even lower. She was a fallen woman for him now, and Anne positively would never be able to look into his eyes again. She would try to explain him everything, but would he accept her explanations? Besides, it would need time and privacy, and Anne and Captain Wentworth couldn't afford any, for their long and serious conversation would be noticed and wondered over.

Anne lay on the bed with her eyes closed and didn't hear the door opened, so she yelped when something cold and wet touched her hand. Anne opened her eyes and saw a dog, the same one who keep her company at night. The dog licked Anne's hand and face, and only then Anne realized that she was silently crying. She patted the dog, who happily nudged her hand, and whispered in a broken voice

"Oh, boy, you've come to solace me, right? Good boy, you are such a good boy! Don't worry, I'm fine. I will be fine, I have to. But what should I do? How could this happen to me? Lady Russell would be terrified and extremely disappointed if she knew about it. But this Doctor… I'm not sorry that I came to him, because this poor soul needs help", wrapped in her thoughts, Anne didn't notice that the dog started, when she mentioned the Doctor, and pricked up his ears. "I hope someone is looking for him and they will find him before he gets into real troubles. He seems to be obsessed with dangers, and today he was more delusional than yesterday. But still… yes, he talks like a lunatic and acts like one, and I think that he's a madman, I know it, but somehow I don't _feel_ it, and I'm confused about it. But I'm sure I'll never see the Doctor again. He didn't like Captain Wentworth. And he has very sad eyes. Oh, boy, what am I thinking about?!" the dog licked Anne's face once more. "You understand me, don't you? You're not only the kindest, but also the cleverest dog I've ever met. And I have no idea how you get into the house unnoticed. One of the servants must he helping you".

Anne's eyes fell upon the writing desk and she cried excitedly:

"Letter! I shall write a letter to Captain Wentworth. This way I'll explain him everything and won't have to face him. Oh, I don't know how to act around him, how to be in the same room with him now. I wish I had gone to Bath with father and Elizabeth, none of this would have happened then".

Anne quickly rose from the bed and went to the writing desk, resolute to write this letter as soon as possible. When she finished it (two hours and dozens of crumpled sheets of paper later), she saw that the dog had already left the room, as quietly as usual.

"I should ask Charles his name", decided Anne. "And, perhaps, I can keep him".

* * *

The TARDIS was empty, and it was strange and unnatural, for the Doctor's ship (no, not ship, ship's too primitive, – Time And Relative Dimension In Space!) used to have more than just one passenger on board (the Doctor, of course, didn't consider himself a _passenger_, but the TARDIS had other opinion. Though he was her favourite passenger). Both the Doctor and the TARDIS were lonely.

"No, I didn't find him", answered the Doctor to the TARDIS's telepathic question. Of course, he could give a mental answer, but he was tired of silence, and at the moment even the sound of his own voice was enough. "But he's alive, I tracked him. And he got a friend, a local girl, who is now in danger because of him. Stupid creature! No, not the girl, him. Why am I doing this? Because I'm kind and want to help. Bored? Well, yes, I was bored when I agreed to that, but just a bit. Tiny, tiny bit. Okay, what I really need right now is a cuppa. Hope the girl will be fine…"


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3.**

When the letter was written, Anne immediately felt better and decided that now she could venture to leave her room and eat something. If she was lucky, Captain Wentworth had gone for a walk with Louisa and Henrietta or was at the Great House. And if she was extremely lucky, Mary was also somewhere else, but not at Uppercross. Alas, today was obviously not her day – when Anne entered the sitting room, she saw Mary, lying on the couch with her eyes closed.

"Oh my, Anne, I'm so happy that you're better now! I have a terrible, unbearable headache myself. Boys were insufferable and unmanageable all morning, even Jemima couldn't calm them down, and you know how good she is with children. Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove have completely spoiled them. And Louisa and Henrietta again took Charles and Captain Wentworth to Winthrop, and left me here all alone! Oh, I'm so miserable!"

Jemima, the boy' nurse, was Mary's favourite servant, mostly because of her passion for gossips and rumours, which was even greater than Mary's, and help Jemima to provid her mistress with interesting, though not necessarily truthful, information, but her professional qualities were far from perfect. And though Anne wondered how little Charles, whose collar-bone was dislocated, could be "insufferable and unmanageable," it was easy to imagine today's morning at Uppercross, which she had spent in her room: Water was noisy and wanted to play; his bedbound brother – capricious and tearful; Jemima couldn't soothe them; Mary was irritated and wished Anne were there to calm down the boys; Charles, who once more had had an unsuccessful shooting, accused Mary of not being able to manage her own sons, which annoyed Mary even more. And this image was more than accurate. Anne thought that Musgrove girls must have deliberately chosen Winthrop, knowing that Mary wouldn't go there with them, especially without her sister. What surprised Anne was the fact that Mary hadn't come to her room demanding to take care of her, but there was a reasonable explanation to that phenomena – Anne was rarely ill, so her headache must be really bad, and Mary wanted to give Anne time to recover, for she understood that if her sister was bedridden for a while she wouldn't be able to look after Mary.

"Well, I believe fresh air will do us both good. We should go out for a stroll, and you will feel better, I promise. But first I would eat something, I'm quite starved."

And since Mary was bored, she didn't mind a little walk.

* * *

The creature, who had not yet had a name on Earth, was ravenous. Its last meal was not very substantial, the creature had eaten it mostly of necessity, rather than real hunger, but now he didn't have time for a good hunt, because the business that brought him to this distant and cold planet was not yet finished (in fact, the creature's sex was not exactly male, but no human language had words to describe or name it, and he was definitely not _a female_). And that irritated the creature, who didn't expect his prey to be so clever and canny. When the creature had just arrived here, on Earth, he was sure that it wouldn't take him long to fulfill his task, but it turned out that he was wrong. Besides, there was one more thing that the creature didn't expect – a rival. An enemy. But the creature didn't think this enemy dangerous, he was actually certain that there were very few… beings in this universe that could beat him, defeat him. And it only showed that the creature was not very clever and insightful. Though he was clever enough to disguise himself in order to pass for one of the locals. Then again, this camouflage was not only a result of the creature's cautiousness, but also a product of his instincts, which helped his race to survive throughout millenniums.

Suddenly he stopped dead and sniffed the air, having smelled something familiar, something he hoped to smell – the scent of his prey. And the creature followed this trail.

* * *

The day was very good for November, and even Mary, who was not a passionate walker and usually didn't pay much attention to beautiful sceneries around her, enjoyed this walk. When the sisters were heading back to Uppercross, they met Mr. Dickson, one of Sir Walter's tenants. Or, rather, former tenants. And he scared the sisters silly. Mr. Dickson – a tall stout man of forty – appeared in front of Anne and Mary so abruptly, that Mary even gave a startled cry. She had met Mr. Dickson only a couple of times in her life and didn't remember him very well (if not at all), but Anne, who recognized Mr. Dickson, instantly saw that he was not quite himself. Mr. Dickson looked agitated and alert, was livid, and his usually kind and warm blue eyes were now black, cold, and piercing. Anne shivered.

"Good God!" exclaimed Mary, "You gave us quite a fright! My poor heat, it beats so fast that it could burst! What were you thinking stealing up to ladies like that?"

"I am sorry Mrs. Musgrove. I beg your forgiveness. I apologize for my behaviour. It won't happen again. I didn't mean to scare you," Mr. Dickson said slowly, monotonously and oddly distinct. And his intent gaze never left Anne's face, giving her creeps.

Strangely enough, Mr. Dickson intimidated Anne more than the mad Doctor had done yesterday and tomorrow morning. The Doctor – a stranger, a lunatic – seemed to be less dangerous than Mr. Dickson, whom Anne knew as a good man, regularly going to church.

"Don't worry, no harm is done and your apologies are accepted," answered Anne pleasantly.

Mr. Dickson's gaze turned wild, he sniffed and took a few steps forward.

"Where is he?" asked he suddenly in a low voice, and Anne could swear she heard a growl rumbled in his chest.

"I beg your pardon?" frowned Anne, who didn't understand what Mr. Dickson was talking about. Though his question somehow reminded her of the Doctor.

"Where is he?" now Mr. Dickson really growled, Anne heard it very clearly.

"Look, Mr. … sorry, I don't remember your name - no wonder, because no one can remember absolutely everyone he ever met, only significant people, if you know what I mean, - but we are in a hurry and have to go," Mary said crisply. She was not as frightened as Anne, but she didn't like to be seen talking to some unimportant farmer, who acted very strange and, perhaps, was drunk. "As you can see, my sister doesn't know where he is, whoever this "he" is. Good day, sir."

"Where is he?" for the third time repeated Mr. Dickson, not paying attention to Mary's words, and made a few more steps forward. Anne flinched.

"Mrs. Musgrove, Mrs. Musgrove", suddenly they heard a loud cry and saw Betsy, one of Uppercross servants, running towards them. "Oh, Mrs. Musgrove, thank God I found you! It's master Walter, he fell from a stair, hit his head and now he is weeping in pain, and Jemima can't calm him down. Mr. Musgrove hasn't yet returned, and we didn't know what to do, and so Jemima sent me to find you!" blurted out breathless Betsy, when she approached her mistress and Anne.

"Oh, dear, my child, my poor child! I can't lose him!" cried Mary and swayed. She would have fallen, had not Anne steadied her.

"Mary, it's not a time for hysterics," said Anne firmly. "We have to hurry up. Here, take Betsy's hand and I will go ahead and send for Mr. Robinson if necessary."

Mr. Robinson was an apothecary, who treated little Charles.

"Yes, yes, Anne, go, go! Oh, my poor son! It's a jinx, I tell you. I always knew that Mrs. Lindy has an evil eye. She told me a fortnight ago, that there were no healthier and adorable children in Somersetshire than mine. Anne, please, hurry up!"

Anne turned to run to Uppercross and only then realized that Mr. Dickson was nowhere to be seen. Anne gave a sigh of relief and on her way back to Uppercross decided that she was just silly and imagined things. There was nothing wrong with Mr. Dickson. Nothing.

* * *

Patience was not the creature's greatest virtue, but now he was willing to wait: he knew that it should not be long before he would catch his prey. Now he had a clue how to find it.

* * *

Walter's injury was not dangerous, he had got just a little scratch on his temple and that's all; Mr. Robinson assured them that there were no concussion or any serious head trauma. Anne understood that Walter had thrown a fit not because he was in pain or scared, but because he wanted to capture the attention of the grown-ups, who – all, except Anne - had been doting on his brother Charles recently and ignored Walter. It took Anne a lot of time to appease the child, and when Charles, Louisa, Henrietta and Captain Wentworth returned to Uppercross, bringing Charles Hayter with them, the house was in havoc. Anne was upstairs with Walter, and Mary – downstairs, doing three things simultaneously: complaining on her life, full of hardships, scolding Jemima for letting Walter fall and reproaching little Charles, who had taken advantage of the chaos around him and stolen a few candies.

After finding out what had happened, Louisa, Henrietta and Charles Hayter retreated to the Great House, while Captain Wentworth bid goodbye and left, which didn't upset Miss Musgroves very much, because Captain were to dine at the Great House today.

Anne was ready stay at Uppercross to tend to the boys and not to go to the Great House tonight, and Mary was generously going to let her do it, for she, in her own words, was "more unfit than anybody else to be about the child" - her nerves couldn't stand the sight of her injured child. Though this time Mary's husband was going to order his wife to stay at home with the children and help Anne, because he felt bad to use his sister-in-law like this. He even disposed himself to a long fight with Mary, but this fight never happened – by the time they had to go to the Great House not only it was obvious that Walter was not in danger, but also that both boys were already asleep, and so Mary, Charles and Anne all went to dinner.

Anne didn't know what to feel. On the one hand, she should be glad that now she would have a chance to explain herself to Captain Wentworth, on the other hand, she was sure that she would die of embarrassment and shame when he looked at her (and since Anne was not prone to exaggeration, that spoke volumes of her emotional state). She was also afraid that when she discreetly tried to give her letter to Captain Wentworth, somebody would notice it and start asking questions. But she had to do that, had to defend herself, to prove that she was not as bad and debauched as he thought.

And Anne was highly surprised that she managed to slip the letter into Captain Wentworth's hand without attracting unnecessary attention. She couldn't believe that it went so easy. Captain looked at her wonderingly for moment and then turned away as if nothing had happened. Apparently he was going to treat her with the same cold civility as before, and Anne was somewhat grateful for that – under these circumstances she could survive the diner. She didn't know that the evening had a surprise in store for her.

When the Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove inquired after little Charles and Walter's health and asked Charles Hayter how his parents were doing, Mr. Musgrove said in a low voice:

"Well, Captain Wentworth, I assume, there is no news about Mr. Dickson."

"None so far", shook his head Captain Wentworth. "His widow is devastated and didn't believe he is still alive."

"Poor woman," commented Mrs. Musgrove.

"Who is this Mr. Dickson?" frowned Mary.

"Oh, haven't you heard yet?" exclaimed Louisa. "He is one of your father's tenants. Mr. Dickson went missing two days ago. He was in the stables, his wife sent a servant to call him for dinner and when the servant entered the stables she saw blood on the ground, and Mr. Dickson was nowhere to be found. Haven't Charles told you this story? Shocking news, right? And scary. Can't believe this happened just a few miles from us."

"Oh dear, what a terrible news!" cried Mary. "We all can be slaughtered in our own homes, in our own beds! Oh my, how awful!"

"Excuse me," interrupted Anne her sister, "but are you talking about Mr. Dickson of Newbery-Hill?"

"Yes, about this poor fellow," answered Mr. Musgrove.

"Then I assure you that Mr. Dickson is alive, Mary and I saw him today," said Anne firmly.

"Good God! Are you sure, Miss Anne?", "That was him?!" Mr. Musgrove and Mary burst out at the same time.

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure. It was Mr. Dickson. Though he acted quite strange, and it seemed to me that he was not himself. And judging by his appearance I would say that he was ill."

"He was terrible!" said Mary with disgust. "Appeared of nowhere and frightened us to death. And then he demanded Anne to answer some question… don't remember what… ah, yes, he kept asking: 'Where is he?' and was very persistent."

"It's a very important information, Miss Anne. Tomorrow I will let the constable know about it. And Dickson's wife too, she will be happy to find out that her husband is alive."

"But Papa, how do you think, what happened to Mr. Dickson?" asked Henrietta.

"I have no idea, dear," answered Mr. Musgrove, who could not tell his daughter of his suspicions regarding Mr. Dickson. Now Mr. Musgrove thought that Dickson had got drunk, then had a fight with someone and then, impaired, gone wandering around. That was the only theory Mr. Musgrove, as well as other men at the table, could suggest.

The issue of Mr. Dickson soon exhausted itself and the conversation turned to other things. An hour later Charles, Mary and Anne returned to Uppercross. It was a long day for Anne and she wanted nothing else but to find some peace in her sleep. But at first she checked on the boys, whom she found sound asleep. Usually Anne undressed for the night without maid's help and when she entered her room, she wasn't even surprised to see the familiar dog lying in front of the fireplace.

"Hey there," called Anne.

The dog woke up from his slumber and was about to rush to Anne, but suddenly he stopped in his tracks, squatted, set back his ears and sniffed.

"What is it, boy?" Anne was confused by the dog's reaction. "What's wrong?"

The dog sniffed again, approached Anne, muzzled her and then, obviously relaxed, licked her hand.

"Yes, that's me," smiled Anne. "And I'm not going to ask you how you are sneaking into the house. If you show again, I will ask Charles to let me keep you."

Looking at the dog's eyes, Anne thought that he understood her every word.

"Let's sleep," she said with a sigh.

* * *

Anne woke up in the middle of the night. Or, rather was woken by a hand shaking her shoulder.

"What is it?" murmured she sleepily, without opening her eyes. "Something's with Walter?"

And this instant the same hand gagged her. Anne's eyes snnaped open. The room was barely lit, but Anne managed to discern the man, who was hovering above her. It was the Doctor,

"Shh, I'm not gonna hurt you. That's me, the Doctor, and we have no time. Listen to me: we have to get out of the house right now."

Captain Wentworth considered Anne weak, because once she had yielded to persuasion. This time she was definitely not going to do that…


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N.** Hello everyone. I'm very, very sorry for this massive delay: life's unpredictable and has lots of surprises, sometimes – unpleasant surprises, in store. Can't promise that it won't happen again, but I'll try to write faster. And I most definitely will finish this fic no matter what (though I don't know when).

Also, thank you for your reviews, they give inspiration:))

_____________________________________________________________________________

**Chapter 4.**

"Sir, what are you doing?!" exclaimed Anne (though not very loud out of fear to woke up the whole household) when the Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her out of bed. "Let me go this instant! I'm not going anywhere with you. Oh, that's just inconceivable and ridiculous, and highly improper! Sir, please, let me go."

Now Anne was really scared and seriously contemplated screaming because a ruined reputation is nothing in comparison with staying alive.

"Look," whispered the Doctor fiercely, "the shapeshifter will soon be here, and if you don't want to become his dinner, I suggest that you should go with me. Now!"

While Anne tried to process what she had just heard, the Doctor dragged her to the door.

"Sir, are you out of your mind?" asked Anne, trying to free her hand, and this question was not only impolite, but also pointless, in other words, rhetorical, because the answer was obvious. But the Doctor still answered it.

"Me? Never! The Time Lords never go mad. Weeelll, in general, that's it. In general, the Time Lords don't go mad. Anyway, back to business, I mean, the shapeshifter – he will be here any minute now, which would be a great big problem if I didn't have this," the Doctor winced at these words as if they pained him somehow, took something out of his pocket and shook it in front of Anne's face.

At first Anne thought it was a candle, but then she saw that this thing was thicker than a candle and about six or seven inches long.

"I don't understand what you're talking about and I don't believe you. And of course I am refusing to leave the house at this hour with a stranger unless you provide me with a reasonable explanation of your outrageous behavior. Otherwise I shall call for help."

The Doctor snorted, clearly expressing his disapproval, and murmured under his breath: "Humans…".

"The shapeshifter is dumb, and that's good. But I assume that he is very angry – and hungry - by now, and that's bad," said the Doctor in a low voice;. "And when he sees that his prey has gone, he will become even angrier. First of all he will eat you and after that will make another attempt to track down the prince which is pretty difficult since your friend is exceedingly good in covering his tracks. But the shapeshifter is quite persistent, I give him credit for that. So the plan is following: to save you and distract the hunter. Now run!"

Anne didn't understand half of what the Doctor had just said, but there was something intangible and inexplicit in his voice and demeanour, something that Anne couldn't grasp or interpret, what made her believe him, almost completely, despite her previous statement. But it _didn't_ _make_ Anne loose her common sense.

"But I cannot go out undressed and I certainly cannot run barefoot," said Anne trying not to think of the simple fact that she must have lost her mind just like the Doctor.

"Oh," the Doctor looked at Anne and for the first time noticed her state of undress. "All right, all right, but hurry up!" grumbled the Doctor.

Anne flung on her robe and cloak, and then put on the shoes – not very pretty or fashionable, but sturdy and practical, just the right kind shoes for running for your life. It took Anne some time to lace them, and she refused to be hurried by Doctor's impatient looks and huffs for she knew how much harm can be done by the _unlaced_ shoes even in the broad daylight and definitely didn't want to stumble and break her arm or leg. Or neck.

"Now we can go," said Anne.

"Oh, really? Great, now move!" the Doctor rushed to the door but abruptly stopped and smacked his forehead. "I entirely forgot about the spray, and that's your fault. Human females are always so slow with clothes," complained he.

He once again shook that round thing which Anne couldn't recognize, pointed it at her and pressed a long finger to one of its ends. Anne heard a strange hissing sound coming from the mysterious thing and felt something wet on her hand, which she immediately withdrew.

"What is it, sir, what are you doing?" exclaimed she in hushed voice.

"Please, don't call me sir. No one calls me sir. Look at me, do I look like a sir? No, absolutely not! Anyway, it's a UATS - universal anti-trail spray. I invented it," the Doctor turned the spray (Anne wasn't sure whether "spray" was a name for the strange thing or for the wet stuff which the Doctor splashed on her), and sprinkled himself with the same wet substance. "See, it's totally harmless, it conceals, cloaks our scents. It's the simple biochemistry: the molecules of the spray affect the work of the glands and… ah, never mind. The point is that now the shapeshifter won't be able to trace us, but it won't do us any good if he sees us, so hurry up."

Anne and the Doctor left the room, came down the stairs and slipped out through the back door. It was pitch dark outside, stars and crescent moon - the only source of light – were clouded, and Anne would have fallen more than once (despite the laced shoes), had it not been for the Doctor who was holding her hand and guiding her as if he could see in the dark as good as in the light. They went through the garden, cross the road to Kellynch Hall, then reached the fields and stepped into the wood lying between Uppercross and Winthrop. Anne couldn't figure out the destination they were heading for and only trusted the Doctor to find the right path. The question was: where would this right path lead them? Anne shivered, but not from the night chill – she suddenly fully comprehend the impossible and utterly shocking situation she had got herself into. She wished she could say that the Doctor lured her, coerced her to leave the safety of Uppercross, but no, she followed him willingly, believed him instead of resisting his persuasions and alerting the household. And now she was walking through the night wood, holding a cold hand of a strange man, and had now idea where they were going to and what the Doctor was going to do with her. That was much, much worse than their morning's meeting which had been witnessed by Captain Wentworth. Would she ever see him again? Would she ever see Mary, and father, and Elizabeth, and dear Lady Russell, and little Charles and Walter? She certainly hoped so. And she still didn't fell any fear for her life although, considering the circumstances, probably should. Madness must be, indeed, a catching disease!

They were moving forward not as fast as Anne was afraid, but not slow either and in complete silence, which Anne didn't expected for the Doctor seemed to be a very talkative person. On the other hand, the Doctor deemed that they were in danger of being chased by some vicious creature, and from this point of view, his silence made sense. To Anne's relief their walk wasn't very long, and soon Anne and the Doctor entered a small clearing (well, Anne thought that it was small since she suspected that it was the same clearing in half a mile from Uppercross which she liked very much). Something was standing in the middle of it, something that looked like a… like a box. In fact, it was definitely a box because a luminous writing on it: "Public police call box" clearly stated that. But what this writing meant Anne didn't understand.

"Come on in," said the Doctor, opening the door of the box, and Anne decided that it was a kind of barn or something like that. The Doctor paused on the threshold waiting for Anne to come in and he was blocking the view, so she couldn't see what was inside the box, but judging by the light coming through the doors, it was brightly lit, which was more than strange – who leaves burning candles in a barn in the middle of a wood? Then again, wasn't what she was doing strange?

Anne sighed, put herself up and went past the Doctor into the box. And immediately felt a strong desire to faint. Taking into consideration that she hardly ever lost consciousness in her life (apart from the times when she was ill and had fever), that spoke volumes of her emotional state.

"It's the TARDIS," commented the Doctor, looking at Anne's stricken face. "Time and Relative Dimension In Space. It's bigger on the inside."

_That _was obvious. The inside of the box was much bigger than the outside, about the size of the dining room in Kellynch hall. Anne was always a good Christian, she regularly went to church not because she had to or because it was expected of her, but because she wanted to. Because she believed. God and Devil were not abstract notions for her – she believed that God was a sum of everything good that was happening on Earth, of every good deed and thought, while Devil could be found in every bad word, every bad thought, every bad action. For Anne Hellfire and Eden's meadows of milk and honey were just metaphors, not something real, material and tangible, and she usually considered sorcery and warlocks and mediums as legends, as something nonexistent. Now she wasn't so sure about it.

"Witchcraft," whispered she.

"Time Lord," replied the Doctor and grinned. And this grin of his was so broad, and sincere, and boyish, and infectious that Anne couldn't help but smile in return. It was highly unlikely that this skinny freckled man with sad eyes was Devil's assistant.

Anne looked around. The walls were decorated with what Anne at fist took for glass dishes, but then saw that they were rather some sort of lenses. In the middle of the room there was an odd construction – a round… table for the lack of better word, covered with numerous levers and handles. A large glass tube, glowing with green light, was rising from the center of the table. And there was a grating instead of normal floor.

"But that's impossible," said Anne weakly. "How can it be bigger on the inside?"

"Time Lord science, you won't understand," answered the Doctor and added, noticing Anne's hurt expression (for she never thought herself stupid): "No, really, you won't understand, it's too difficult for you. I mean, for people of your time."

"People of my time?" furrowed Anne and looked questioningly at the Doctor.

"Weeelll, told you, we're in the TARDIS, it's a… ship. Yeah, a ship, like the ships in Her Majesty's Navy. Only her ships prowl the oceans and quarter the sea while my TARDIS travels in travels in time and space.

"Time and space? But that's…" Anne wanted to say "impossible" again, but changed her mind. Apparently, the ship which was bigger on the inside could travel in time and space. Why not? But Anne still asked, just in case:

"Is it a joke?"

"Nope."

Anne guessed that Doctor's "nope" meant "no".

"Then it makes you a sailor, right? A time and space sailor?"

"Weelll, sort of, yeah," answered the Doctor, whom this idea never occurred to.

"And you're the captain of the TARDIS."

"I'm… No, no, no, no, I'm not a captain. Don't wanna be a captain. Ever. I'm a Time Lord and the Doctor, that's enough. And a traveler, me. There are lots of captains in the Universe and I'm unique," the Doctor was quite emotional in denying his captaincy, but there were no anger or irritation in his voice, and Anne could swear that his eyes were full of mischief.

"And what does 'a Time Lord' mean?"

"That's my race, Time Lords," said the Doctor curtly and after a pause exclaimed, enthusiastically rubbing hands: "Cuppa, right! That's what you need – a good old cuppa. Wait here and don't touch anything, I'll be back in a minute. And I'm serious, don't touch anything!"

And he left, disappearing in an imperceptible passage. Anne watched him go for a moment and sank limply to the floor. Could it be just a dream? One incredible illogical dream which would be forgotten in the morning? Anne had a hunch that it was all real, but she already doubted that it was as bad as it seemed at the beginning. If it's really possible to travel in time and space - of course, that's just Doctor's illusion, or fabrication, or fairy-tale, but still, if it's possible, that's fantastic!

* * *

The house was dark and quiet and bathed in scents. Three of them were familiar to the creature. He sniffed. Yes, that's right, one scent belonged to the creature's prey, prey which he couldn't catch for such a long time that it had already began to get on his nerves, other two – to the local females whom the creature met today. The prey's scent was faint, and had it been any other prey, the creature would have decided that its trail had gone cold, but he already knew that it was just a trick and the prey could still be in the house. The creature sniffed once more and entered the house.

* * *

"What is that?" asked Anne pointing at the green tube when the Doctor returned with two cups of tea – big and striped. It seemed that the Doctor was fond of strip pattern.

"Time Rotor. It's a key mechanism of the TARDIS, without it the ship can't travel," replied the Doctor, sipping tea.

"I see. Doctor, why did you bring me here? What for? Is what you told me about danger true?"

"Yes, it's true. And it's a long story."

"I'm looking forward to hearing it. I have time and, I think, right to know. But first of all, Doctor, please, tell me, will my family at Uppercross be all right? Are their life menaced?"

"N-no, I don't think so. The shapeshifter needs the prince, and as soon as he discovers that neither you nor your friend is at the house, he will start in pursuit of you. Well, mostly of the prince, of course, but you can be useful for the shapeshifer as a source of information or a bait. Anyway, he won't touch your family, first of all because his hunting instincts will have upper hand over hunger, at least I hope so. And secondly, he wouldn't want to draw the undesirable attention by killing another human in this area. Weeelll, not that the shapeshifter is afraid of the local authorities, but still."

"You hope, but not sure?" Anne was more that upset with this statement. "And who are this shapeshifter and my friend whom you're referring to? Frankly speaking, I'm confused and don't understand half of what has been going on around me lately," Anne helplessly confessed, clutching her cup.

"O'kay, let's start from the beginning," sighed the Doctor.


End file.
